December 7, 2010 7:53pm ESTDecember 7, 2010 11:34am ESTPatrick Kane injuryBlackhawks forward Patrick Kane will miss at least three weeks because of a leg injury Sunday against the Flames.

Sporting news

Published on Dec. 7, 2010

Dec. 7, 2010

Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane has a significant leg injury and will be lost to the Blackhawks for up three weeks, according to the media reports from Chicago.

"Kaner is probably going to be out upwards of three weeks," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville the Chicago Daily Herald. "We're hoping that's the maximum.

"We're going to leave it as a lower-body (injury), but I think you can speculate what it is. Certainly that's the extent of it and he's progressing right now."

The Blackhawks were expected to recall Jeremy Morin from AHL Rockford to replace Kane.

Blackhawks players know life could get tough with top scorers Kane and Marian Hossa on the injured list at the same time.

"We've found a way to play without some of our top players," team captain Jonathan Toews told The Chicago Tribune. "Guys like (defenseman Brian) Campbell and Hossa and I guess now we don't have a choice, we'll have to do it without Kane. It's about everyone else stepping up.

"You're going to have some ups and downs as the season goes along. Injuries are part of the game. It's something you have to deal with so we'll just try our best . . . and that's pretty much all we can do."

Kane was helped off the ice in the opening period after apparently jamming his left skate into the boards.

"It's tough to see Kane go down," defenseman Duncan Keith told The Tribune. "He's a big part of the team, we know that. Those sorts of things happen over and over on different teams, where a top player gets injured and you have to deal with it."

Kane, the 2007-08 Calder Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie, has 11 goals and 16 assists in 28 games.

Kane's injury comes while the Blackhawks are awaiting the return of Hossa and injured forward Fernando Pisani. Quenneville said both players are progressing but probably won't be ready for Wednesday's road game against the Dallas Stars.

"Injuries are always something you have to deal with," Quenneville told the Chicago Sun-Times. "It's never being a perfect season as far as health-wise."

Hossa will miss at least another week and likely will resume skating before Monday. Pisani is day-to-day and expected to resume skating later this week.